The Animal Experience
by Wappity
Summary: The 11th Doctor and Amy get embroiled in a mystery surrounding a strange visitor attraction.
1. Chapter 1

The Animal Experience was a strange place. Housed in the wooded and barren areas surrounding an abandoned gravel pit it aimed to be a premier visitor attraction. Clearly this aim hadn't been achieved.

It wasn't a zoo, and it certainly wasn't a safari park. There were no living animals in the Animal Experience; that was far too much to ask. Instead visitors had plastic and concrete versions of the animals to look at, and then they were set out in strange ways.

Charlotte Johnson put down the plan she had been writing for developing the attraction, just in time to watch a giant plastic monkey being rolled past her office window after being repaired. She decided that she was going to do a review of the exhibits one evening with the head of maintenance and see which exhibits could be changed.

Being new at the Animal Experience she relished the chance to turn the place from being a laughing stock of plastic animals into a serious attraction. Many thoughts had gone round her mind on how she was going to achieve this, but she was certainly going to make it better.

George, the head of maintenance, appeared at about 5pm; just as Charlotte had given up hope and was getting ready to go home. He was about six feet tall, rather bulky and looked stressed, 'sorry' he murmured in his thick Birmingham accent, 'I got delayed'

'I guessed' Charlotte replied as she pulled her black hair into a ponytail, 'Have you got time now? I don't want to delay you going home'

Quickly he responded, 'Its getting dark but I'd rather get this out the way'

They walked along the gravel path's that led around the site discussing the removal and disposal of some of the giant animals that stood in the woodlands casting strange shapes across the paths in the setting sun.

At the bottom of an embankment George stopped, 'I've always thought we should get rid of this bit' he said slowly, 'it gives me the creeps'

Charlotte knew what he meant as she looked at the wooden steps cut into the hillside. A wicker arch at the bottom had a sign attached that proclaimed it to be, 'the future of animals'. This swayed gently in the light breeze, 'I suppose we've got to say what we're going to do with it' she eventually said making her way towards the steps.

The pair walked up the steps slowly; it already felt cold and foreboding when they reached a right-angled corner. Opposite them stood what appeared to be a figure of a human in a purple and white costume, the paint peeling in many places and the figure itself looked slumped. A frightening grin was present on its excited face.

'Its supposed to be articulated' George told her, 'but was repeatedly vandalised, had it dumped here years ago. Just somewhere to put it'

'We're getting rid of it. It scares me. Never mind what kids think'

They continued up the steps until the came to a large plateau with the gravel path on one side divided from the exhibits by a small wooden fence. This display had always disturbed Charlotte and she was determined that it was going.

On the other side of the fence was a long wooden table, the sort that you'd imagine in medieval banquet halls, with equally sized benches on each side.

Sat on the benches was a selection of animals. All were painted so they appeared to be in human clothing and all sat eating, drinking and looking rather merry. The sizes of some of these animals and their blanks stares just made it an ultimately bizarre spectacle, like something from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland that had been frozen at one moment for all eternity. It sent a shiver down Charlotte's back, 'how difficult will it be to get rid of this?' she asked George

'Depends what you want to do with the figures' he replied climbing over the fence and gently pushing against a giraffe wearing a business suit.

'Scrap. I couldn't care if I never saw them again for as long as I live'

George's face lit up, 'was hoping you'd say that. It'll take us a few hours, if that.'

'Come on lets get out of here and go home' she smiled, 'I've had enough of crap plastic animals for one day'

As they walked away she was sure she could feel something watching her. Quickly turning round she was sure that the Elephant sat at the head of the table had moved, though quickly consigned this to her imagination.


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor stepped out of the door of the TARDIS, 'Mmm' he said quickly, 'Definitely not New York'

Amy stood behind him, 'so why've you brought us here?' she asked.

'I haven't. The TARDIS has' he responded slowly, 'and I have no idea where here is'

The TARDIS had landed in the middle of a forest. Brambles, nettles and other foliage covered the floor and twigs whilst trees provided a canopy that occasionally broke to show bright blue sky, 'Ooo, you don't know where here is. Surprise' Amy said sarcastically, 'even I can tell you its not New York'

'Definitely not New York' he responded, 'unless its New York before it was New York or New York after it was New York. No can't be, the trees are wrong. Not New York'

As they walked twigs broke under their feet, 'I hope you know what your doing here' Amy called as she picked her way gently through the undergrowth behind him, 'oww' she added as a bramble caught her leg.

'Keep up Pond' the Doctor called as he emerged from the woods onto a gravel path. Opposite him was a small wall dividing the path from what appeared to be a flooded quarry,

Amy emerged behind him, 'this better be good' she exclaimed before seeing the lake, 'we're in a gravel pit. Why are we in a gravel pit?'

'Why not be in a gravel pit' the Doctor responded walking over to the wall and looking over, 'you might be able to find some cool stuff in a gravel pit'

'Yeah. If you're a bird watcher!'

'There is nothing wrong with bird watching Pond. Bird watching is cool' the Doctor said turning to her, 'Amy don't move'

She stopped dead, 'what' she said, 'what's happened'

Behind her was a giant bear, bigger than any bear that the Doctor had seen before. Unlike the bears he had experienced before it stood there silent and still, not even looking like it was making an effort. Slowly he walked towards it, 'Doctor what is it?' Amy said, still stood in the same spot.

'A bear' he replied as he reached the foot of it, 'A giant bear', he smiled as he prodded it, 'a giant plastic bear. Bit like Rupert but bigger and more plastic'

Amy turned to him and gasped at the giant plastic bear, 'Why is there a giant plastic bear here?' she asked

The Doctor was now examining it with his sonic screwdriver, its shrill noise and green glow making this activity even more obvious than it already was by the movement of his arms, 'Its nothing strange' he said eventually whilst putting the screwdriver away, 'just a giant plastic bear'

'It's a giant plastic bear! How is that not strange!'

'Think of Gnomes Amy. They're small people you put in your garden. They aren't strange. So what's the difference between a small gnome in your small garden and a large plastic bear in your large gravel pit'

Amy couldn't work this one out, 'I still think its weird'

He pushed the bear again 'Ok Rupert, I suppose we better go and find out why you're here' he told the giant plastic animal before walking over to rejoin Amy, 'which way then Pond?' he added

'That way' Amy said pointing to her left

'Why that way? What's that way'

'According to that sign', she pointed to wooden sign with directions on, 'a visitors centre'

The Doctor smiled, 'I wonder if they have a shop' he muttered as they headed off in the direction of the visitors centre.


	3. Chapter 3

The visitors centre was a small, modern, limestone built building with a grey tiled roof that was pitched at a steep angle. Its doors and windows were stainless steel framed and it looked like it had only been built a few years ago.

'I'll be disappointed if there isn't a shop' the Doctor said as they walked to the door, 'shops are cool'

Amy wondered what this place was. A visitor's centre and a giant plastic bear hiding in the woods didn't really make sense to her, though she was getting more used to seeing weird things on her travels with the Doctor.

Inside the visitors centre was quite airy in places and dark in the others. It also seemed to be deserted, 'Any information on where we are?' Amy asked

'Give me time' the Doctor said picking a leaflet out of a nearby stand and glancing at it, 'The Animal Experience. Never heard of it' he handed the leaflet to Amy

The leaflet featured a picture on the front of an excited family leaning on a wall whilst pictures of animals had clearly been added alongside them. It explained to her that it was the regions premier attraction where you could 'get close to representations of your favourite animals'.

'Hmm' she murmured, 'Not the sort of place I'd choose to visit'

A side door opened and a woman walked out into the visitors centre, 'Excuse me' said the Doctor. The woman stopped, 'Yes?' she answered with a smile walking over to them.

'What is there to actually do here?' the Doctor asked.

The woman sighed, 'well…' she started, the hesitation in her voice showing she wasn't sure, and 'there's the animal forest, the picnic area and…. umm'

The Doctor interrupted, 'Animal Forest? Is that where Rupert the plastic bear is?'

A quick nod came from the woman as if she hated the plastic animals, 'yes' she answered, 'though I've never heard it called Rupert before. That makes it…loveable'

Amy was sure that this woman didn't like the plastic bear, 'Is there only bears?' she asked

Shaking her head the woman replied, 'No, there is a whole menagerie. Unfortunately'

Both now knew that she didn't like the plastic animals, 'Sorry' the Doctor said extending a hand, 'I'm the Doctor and this is Amy Pond'

'Charlotte Johnson' the woman replied shaking his hand, 'Director of the Animal Experience'

'Nice to meet you. Animal experience. Where are the animals?'

'This is the problem' Charlotte answered, 'the animals, if you can call them that are those plastic…. things'

'Ok, thank you' The Doctor said adjusting his bow tie, 'nice meeting you'

As Charlotte walked off he turned to Amy, 'Animal attraction with no animals' he said, 'How do you have an animal attraction with no animals? Why would anyone open an animal park with no animals?'

'Madness?' Amy responded quickly, 'You know I've not seen a single visitor yet'

'No. Plastic animals, no visitors, Director who hates the plastic animals all means one thing to me. Trouble. Might not be trouble in a aliens invade the world trouble but its certainly trouble' he looked directly at Amy, 'No visitors, no money. No money no attraction. It. Doesn't. Make. Sense.'

Amy smiled, 'Perhaps its funded by a rich man' she said smoothly, 'these things do happen'

'Who would fund a gravel pit full of plastic animals' he responded withdrawing his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and spinning it around before checking the area, 'Ahhhhh…. Interesting. Traces of beltron energy. Something here isn't human, and whatever it is is leaving residue' he smiled, 'I knew there was a reason for being here'

He raced outside a look of seriousness on his face, 'I take it that's bad' Amy replied

'Bad. Yes. Very bad' he said turning to her, 'something here is alive, and we won't notice it. Be on your guard'

Amy looked back at him, 'What'll it look like?' she asked.

'Anything' he replied quickly, 'anything at all. Trees, stones…. statues' he turned around, 'we've not got long Amy. Not long at all'


End file.
